Abstract
Background Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants under 12 months. Aim To describe infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis during 9 epidemic seasons Oct-May 2004-2013. Methods We enrolled 654 infants (median age 64d, range 7-359d; 355M; mean weight 5.2±1.4kg) hospitalized at the Pediatric Emergency Unit, “Sapienza” University of Rome. 14 respiratory viruses were detected with RT-PCR from nasal aspirates; data were extracted from clinical charts. Results Among children enrolled, 600 (91.7%) were Caucasian, 488 (74.6%) had siblings, 174 (26.6%) attended nursery, 233 (35.8%) had siblings attending school, and 495 (75.7%) were exclusively breastfed. Family history of atopy was referred in 244 infants (34.3%) and of asthma in 149 (22.8%); 296 infants (45.3%) had smoking cohabitants. 64 infants (9.8%) were admitted to PICU. Respiratory viruses were detected in 323 infants (49.2%): RSV in 206 infants (31.3%), HRV in 45 (7%), HBoV in 14 (4.3%), HMPV in 9 (2.8%), other viruses 9 (2.8%) and co-infections in 34 (10.5%). Among virus positive infants, 237 (73.4%) occurred between December to February with a peak of 111 infants (34.4%) in January. HBoV infants were older than RSV and HRV infants (140.8±106d vs 70.8±49.4d and vs 68.7±58.2d; p≤0.001). Eosinophils' count was higher in HRV infants than in those with RSV (221.8±311/mm3 vs 124.5±136.5/mm3; p=0.008). No significant differences were detected in terms of schooling, breastfeeding, family history of atopy and asthma, and smoking cohabitants. Conclusion The clinical aspects of the disease remain stable in the past nine years. RSV is the main virus involved. HRV infection seems to affect atopic infants.
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